Bridge Bone Beads?

Yes, I have used them. They make it easy to do string changes. I like them, but I don't love them- if that makes sense. Here's a tip- If buying for multiple ukes, buy a few guitar packs and you'll save some money.
 
I've used them and I somewhat like them - they do make changing strings a bit easier and the string lies nicely on the bridge. But, I hate the way they look. I think they look like teeth and make my uke look like some primitive instrument strung by cannibals. I have found that using small ceramic beads that I can get at any bead shop - not too small - work just as well, are cheaper and look nicer. The beads are really just as easy to use once you figure out how to tie them. I've take the bridge bone beads off all the ukes that had them.
 
Makes changing strings simple, doesn't work well with a 6 or 8 stringer.
 
I went to the local craft supply store and bough a bottle of glass beads. Got enough to use on every instrument I own, and every one in the whole town, too, for about $2.
 
I went to the local craft supply store and bough a bottle of glass beads. Got enough to use on every instrument I own, and every one in the whole town, too, for about $2.

What size beads?
 
What size beads?

Actually, I selected several sizes, from very small to large - smallest that will take a uke string are perhaps 5mm in diameter, but I got some up to about 10-12mm. The middle size 8-10mm seemed to work best.

Really what counts is the size of the hole. They also had wood and metal beads.
 
I took some beads out of my wife's sewing and used them on my Pineapple Uke, but they were glass or maybe plastic, and I thought that they might break. I didn't care how they looked either, so I took them off.

My Kalas have that "braid" at the bottom of the bridge which I've used myself, but I don't like it. It makes replacing a broken string difficult. My Banjolele has knots with loops through them, and I like that better. Does anyone else have a good way to tie the strings at the bridge? One that looks okay and is easy to work with?
 
Am I correct that these don't work on a slotted bridge?

As for the standard bridge, I haven't used them but can see their value. Tying strings away from the uke minimizes the close, and sometimes right on target calls where you scratch the finish changing strings. :eek:
 
I like bridge beads. The can work on double courses (5 strings, 6 strings etc) by lying the bead sideways and threading two strings through the bead. It works fine for me.
 
I like bridge beads. The can work on double courses (5 strings, 6 strings etc) by lying the bead sideways and threading two strings through the bead. It works fine for me.
Do you have a photo? Curious to see it.
 
Here you goaaa.jpg

If you look closely at the low g, you can see it goes through the bridge bead vertically, loops towards the right (as we look at it) and through the bead horizontally towards the left. From there it does a U turn and goes across the outside of the bead and under the first loop it made. I did the same with the high g, just in reverse and found that it holds very well. These are living water strings.
 
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